Japanese Cultural Event to Close Tea Festival

The Tea Lovers Festival, which has been held in Los Angeles throughout the month, closes with a Japanese cultural event on Sunday, May 27, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Royal/T, 8910 Washington Blvd., Culver City.

Experience a traditional tea ceremony under the direction of renowned tea master Soshitsu Nishimura of the Edo Senke Sado school, who will show the beauty of silence and the serene. Enjoy a matcha-style green tea in a simple yet spiritual manner, along with Japanese sweets.

Soshitsu Nishimura

Nishimura began studying sado (tea ceremony) at the age of 20. She became a tea master, certified by Sosetsu Kawakami, 10th-generation successor to the Edo Senke school. She later moved to Los Angeles, where she has been teaching since 1982. She is currently the president of Edo Senke Los Angeles Fuhakukai.

The 40-minute sessions will be held at 3:30, 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Maximum attendance: 20 per session. The cost is $25 general, $20 for Tea Lovers Festival members. All proceeds will benefit Japan tsunami relief efforts.

The closing ceremonies will also include traditional Japanese music by Yukari Black and Company; sake tastings; Japanese calligraphy; ochazuke and other tea-flavored delicacies by the Royal/T Café; and the screening of a short film, “The Tea Master.”

At 7 p.m., “Hannari: Geisha Modern” will be screened with an introduction and Q&A by director Miyuki Sohara. This feature documentary seeks to capture the geisha and their culture for what they are truly meant to be — artists and entertainers who devote their lives to the traditional arts and a traditional way of life. Admission is free. Maximum attendance: 80.

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